Emory Grove Worried About Druid Hills High School Expansion
November 29, 2008 | 12:25 pm
Photo Courtesy of the AJC
The AJC reports that this house, which abuts Druid Hills High School property on Westminister Way, has been bought up by the school as it plans a $21 million expansion. This move has residents understandably worried about the school’s future plans for the site, but the school system isn’t saying much.
And just an item of clarification….The article states that the neighborhood is a National Register district, but that residents are worried that the school system is “exempt” and could tear the house down to build a road or tennis courts. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a National Register district doesn’t physically protect anything in a district. All it can do is throw up a whole lot of red tape around any project that receives federal funding. Most often this applies to DOT. If you want blanket physical protection from anyone, you have to be a local historic district.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this project (regardless of whether it happens or not) prompts the creation of a local district in this neighborhood posthaste.
DM: Unless something has recently changed, Emory Grove is part of the DH historic district, which is a Dekalb and state HD as well.
The house in question not only abuts the track (which is the only one I know of that’s a non-standard distance and has a slight incline in one spot) but also the church parking lot and the railroad tracks. Doesn’t seem like it would be a very desirable residence, unless of course you’re really into trains, running laps and have lots of visitors.
One can understand why the neighborhood is concerned about precedence- setting, though. It’s endured many costly battles over the years when the HD designation has been challenged.
Ahh…that would make sense. I didn’t realize that the historic district went above N. Decatur Road over there, but a look at the map confirms it.
Guess the article just misrepresented the argument.
Being a historic didn’t help stop the zoning overlay for Emory village.
Well, from what I recall, it saved the buildings in Emory Village that are over 50 years old (everybody’s, method, and supercuts). The rest of Emory Village is under 50 so those buildings don’t have the same restrictions put on them.
In terms of this Emory Grove house, it looks to be late 40s, which would deem it “contributing” to the neighborhood and therefore theoretically protected under normal circumstances.
Actually all the houses in Emory Grove are part of the historic district. And yes they aren’t going to tear down some of Emory Village but what they are going to replace is completely out of scale or design with the rest of the neighborhood.
See the website at Alliance to improve Emory Village.
Honestly, if we can’t maintain the integrity of what probably our most historic neighborhood, Druid Hills what hope is there for Decatur,
David, I agree that what’s being saved in Emory Village is pretty pointless if they’re going to build a massive project around it. But the historic district did protect the historic properties.
But if, as you stated, all Emory Grove structures are part of the historic district, then they should be protected.